Any body bend there own brake lines?

[treveiger]

Im thinking about doing this and i want some info on the subject. Im going to convert my truck to a 5 lug from a later 73-87 chevy truck and also put power breaks in it and have decided im going to put all new break lines throughout the truck because the lines arent the best and im wondering what kind of break lines you used, whered you get them, and what tools you needed to do the job right. Any tips, tricks, or info on how to go about this would be great.
Thanks in advanced

P.S. sorry for the funny title

[63chevyll]

Need a decent little bender and a good flare kit. Stay away from the harbor freight stuff for brake lines.

I have an otc kit that holds the line good
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[treveiger]

Whats a otc kit? Whered you get it? I figured if i bought the tools not to go cheap, specially with break lines need to be done right... I need to be able to stop

[Tx Firefighter]

I you're using 73-87 stuff, you might as well go ahead and use all the lines too. I try to do this on all my trucks. The 73-87 lines in their entirety will bolt into the earlier truck without mods. There are plenty of virgin, undamaged brake lines in the junkyard on the newer trucks in the junkyards.

[Shane]

TX is right ... or even consider new, prebent steel lines aren't that expensive ... you can thank us later

[treveiger]

Sounds great guys can you get prebent lines at any auto store, and im using the front of a later truck but the rear end of a 71 c10. So i could go buy 73-87 lines for these trucks and theyll just bolt right in without any mods? Are they bent the same?

[project67-stepside]

depends on what ur doing i prebent all mine because i mounted the proportion valve on the crossmember...

[treveiger]

Originally Posted by project67-stepside

depends on what ur doing i prebent all mine because i mounted the proportion valve on the crossmember...

What tools did you use? How hard was it honestly?

[project 67 sub]

i just bought the already flaired strait stuff from autozone (way cheaper than buying new bre bent lines) and ran it from the front passanger side frame rail to the rear. i used the harbor freight bender (looks exactly like the red one autozone sells for $15) but its black and cost $5 lol. it worked out just fine. will most likely end up doing the same exact thing for the front lines when i pull out the motor to put the one i am building in.

[treveiger]

Originally Posted by project 67 sub

i just bought the already flaired strait stuff from autozone (way cheaper than buying new bre bent lines) and ran it from the front passanger side frame rail to the rear. i used the harbor freight bender (looks exactly like the red one autozone sells for $15) but its black and cost $5 lol. it worked out just fine. will most likely end up doing the same exact thing for the front lines when i pull out the motor to put the one i am building in.

With the already flaired straight stuff dont you need to have the right size to have them flaired at both ends? I was looking at the things at harbor frieght and they dont look to bad.

[project 67 sub]

both ends come flaired with fittings already. i just bought the same size line as what was on my burb and a couple of tube unions. i bought 2-60" pieces and 1-40" piece, for me that was exactly as much as i needed to get the end where i wanted it at. the size of line that is on my burb is 1/4", and the tube unions are 1/4"(7/16"-24) i also have the 73-87 front disc setup, and 73-87 rear drum brakes on a 71-72 axle on mine as well

[special-K]

I only bend my own stuff when there is no alternative. Pre-bent lines are slick as snot. It can be a PIA to thread lines because they have to line up perfectly,even when the same line is being reconnected. Pre-bents are slick as snot and are bent just right. It's real hard to bend your own and have them look decent. And,it's even harder to guesstimate exactly what length you need if you hope to use a pre-flared tube. What's harder yet is having a parts store have exactly what you need. 9 times out of 10 they'll have you in Coupling City piecing together what you need. You don't want any more unions than necessary.

[lolife99]

Check with Inline Tube or Classic Tube for pre-bent steel or stainless steel lines.
They also sell excellent quality tubing benders and flaring tools.

[rsavage]

I'm with Special K on this, especially the lines from the MC to proportioning valve to the junctions below and across the front crossmember. Those lines have a lot of bends, some of which are very sharp, as they go around the frame and crossmember. I could spend hours and ruin a lot of lines trying to get those lines to match, fit and lay like the originals.

[treveiger]

Do you guys buy your prebent lines online? How do they ship them without kinking them?
Thanks.

[cdowns]

there's just an easy bit of straightening and tweaking on the prebents but not requireing tools just easy to do with your hands stuff

[ERASER5]

I make and bend my own lines. I also have many many hours of practice making and bending 3/8" to 3/4" flared lines where I used to work, so working with 3/16" or 1/4" seems easy.

However, making a double flare under the truck, in a tight place will make you loose your religion. As will coming up 1/2" short.

I started using the NiCop (Nickel/Copper) alloy tubing. Slick stuff for brakes. Easy to bend, and more importantly, easy to un-bend. Double flares are so easy it scared me the first time. I thought the tube had slipped instead of bending, but it had not. A perfect double flare was sitting there. Also, and maybe best of all, the NiCop tube will not rust.

My flare tool is made by KD Tools, my bender is an Eastwood pliers type.

[special-K]

Originally Posted by treveiger

Do you guys buy your prebent lines online? How do they ship them without kinking them?
Thanks.

In a box. The ones I've bought from Inline Tube threaded up easier than original lines I've disconnected and tried to reconnect.

[treveiger]

So it sounds like prebent are they way to go. The motor and tranny are comming out before any of this starts so i should have a little more room. I need to do my complete steel fuel line too, will the NiCop work for that to?

[capev86]

brake lines are too important to do your own flairing if you are not a master at it. i replaced the rear section and pieces on the rear axle on my 72 burb c20 with already made pieces for a quick bolt in job. the local VIP has a service bay and buys the stuff in bulk so i saved a couple bucks. i used the e-coated* lines for better corrosion protection, installed braided brake hoses from inlinetube.com and filled the system with synthetic atf4+ fluid.

if i have to do the brake lines over again, i'll probably splurge for the complete set in stainless from LMC truck. but i just needed to do a quick repair while i had it up on the lift. brakes work awesome now that the rear axle seals have been replaced (was a bit squirly before the 4.57 to 4.10 gear swap).

*rear brake lines rusted out on my 97 sable wagon a couple years back because the factory only used coated lines on the front. my favorite mechanic clued me in when he did the repair and so i don't even mess with bare steel lines anymore. the difference in price is tiny (about a buck per line) and worth it when you consider the extended life span of coated lines.

[oldblue1968chevy]

Pull all the old lines from the car carefully. Put em in the back of the (running) truck. Go to autozone,adv. auto,orielly,napa whereever. Buy pre flared lines in the correct diameter/thread size etc. Get a bender or 2 (theres a small simple one that makes smaller curves). Sit in your easy chair and mimick old lines. Jack car/truck @ all 4 tires, put on jackstands (safety 1st). Install all of your new brakelines.

Note: You will probably have to tweak them a little by hand, but you will with 'prebent' lines also.

This would be the cheapest/easiest way. Double flares are tricky I attempted a few.

[capev86]

How do they ship them without kinking them?

they put in what they call a shipping bend.....a large radius 180 degree turn that can be straightened out again with a little care.

the lmc truck stainless lines could be from inlinetube, classictube or some other supplier....shop around and compare prices.....

[treveiger]

Originally Posted by oldblue1968chevy

Pull all the old lines from the car carefully. Put em in the back of the (running) truck. Go to autozone,adv. auto,orielly,napa whereever. Buy pre flared lines in the correct diameter/thread size etc. Get a bender or 2 (theres a small simple one that makes smaller curves). Sit in your easy chair and mimick old lines. Jack car/truck @ all 4 tires, put on jackstands (safety 1st). Install all of your new brakelines.

Note: You will probably have to tweak them a little by hand, but you will with 'prebent' lines also.

This would be the cheapest/easiest way. Double flares are tricky I attempted a few.

Thats a good idea! Is that what you ended up doing?

What is tricky about double flares?

[turner16]

Taught myself to bend and flare my own. I wanted to hide as many of the lines as I could so I ran them off the master Cylinder a little different then stock. Get the Snap on bender, the best for sure. I used a full water bottle for some too works ok on small bends

[bigsnookmaster]

Originally Posted by turner16

Taught myself to bend and flare my own. I wanted to hide as many of the lines as I could so I ran them off the master Cylinder a little different then stock. Get the Snap on bender, the best for sure. I used a full water bottle for some too works ok on small bends

I did the same, and re-routed them away from all of the heat sources, as we know heat kills and fades brakes.